Cushion shaft coupling or universal joint



'Y Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505,596

M. R. KARGE CUSHION SHAFT COUPLING OR UNIVERSAL JOINT Fina June 2s. 1920 4,1N ENTOR.

BY- w/M f @M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 19, 1924 MAXWELL ROY Nasen, or PHOENIX, NEW YORK, AssIsN'oa, BY MEsNn ASSIGNMENTS...

To CHARLES ya. nnciionor BUFFALO, NEW YORK. o

GUSHON SHAFT COUPLING 0B, UNIVERSAL JOINT.

To all 107mm it may concern.' .i

Be it known that l, MAXWELL R. KARGE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Phoenix, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Cushion Shaft Coupling or Universal Joint, of which the follovving is a specification.

This invention relates to flexible power transmitting `eleinentsor cushion couplings of the type set forth in my Patent 1,387 ,726, issued Aug. l16, 1921, on my pending application Si. No. 285,762, filed March 28, 1919; and Patent 1,429,146, issued Sept. 12, 1922,

upon application Sr. No. 278,548, liled Jann`` ary 28, 1919, has for its object a coupling especially applicable for use as a universal joint, which is particularly simple in construction and highly efficient and durable in use. o

1n describing` this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which ike characters designate corresponding parts in all the views. p

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view o't a coupling embodying my invention.

The coupling comprises opposing sections for connection with driving and driven shafts, said sections having internal hubs formed with axial bores, a coiled spring connected at its ends to the sections respectively and having its end coils enclosing said hubs, and means for centering the coupling including ball and socket members having shanks held in the bores of the hub.

1 and 2 are, respectively, the opposing sections which are connected to shafts as 3 from and to which motion is to be transmitted by the coupling. 4 designates the coiled torsion spring. 5 are the internal hubs of the sections, these hubs having axial bores 6. 7 and 8 are respectively, ball and socket members or their equivalent, said members having Shanks 9 and 10 respectively fitting the bores of the hubs, `and heads which abutl at 11, and 12 respectively against the inner end faces of the hubs.-

Each section 1 or 2 comprises a heady having an annular flange or sleeve 18 which is opposed to and spaced apart from the hub 5 and forms therewith an annular recess `in which the end coils of the spring 4 are firmly held. The hubs are practically annular plugsdriven in the endcoils of the spring. Theflanges or: sleeve 13 are cutaway at 14 to form a clearance which permits the intermediate coils ofthe spring to expand as in my'A Patent No.,1,471,488,` issued Oct. 23, 1923, upon an application filed J an. 28,1920, and also a floating sleeve 15 is'located within the i1`itermediatecoils,.on which said coils contract, the sleeve 15 being mounted at its ends in annular grooves or rabbets 16 formed in the inner ends of the hubs or plugs 5. The construction of the heads, spring, oating sleeve and plug iny themselves, `formsno part of this invention, but constitutes the subject matter of my Patent 1,471,488, issued Oct. 28, 1928, above referred to.

In operation, during movement of one section relatively to the other, due to changes inthe angles of the axes of the sections 1, 2 and the shafts to which they are connected, the ball and socket joint centers the sections and prevents one section dropping' or lobbing relatively to the other.

Owing to the construction of the coupling the parts can be readily assembled in a compact structure.

llhat I claimis: n

1. A flexible coupling comprising opposing sections formed with central bores; a

coiled torsion lspring having its ends fixed to thesectio-ns andballyand socket members having shanks fitting the bores, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A flexible coupling comprising opposing sections formed withfcentral bores, a i

coiled torsion spring having `its end coils fixed to thesections, and ball and socket 'members yhaving Shanks fitting the bores,

and heads" abutting against the end surfaces of the sections around the inner ends of the bores, said heads being formed respectively with ball and socket surfaces on their meetine ends, substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

8. A flexiblecoupling comprising opposing` sections formed with central bores. a coiled torsion spring having its end coils fixed to the sect-ions, and ball and socket;v

members having shanks fitting the bores, and heads abutting against the end surfaces of the sections around'the inner ends of the bores, said heads being of substantially the same'diameter as portions of the head formed with ythe bores and around ywhichy the end coils of the spring extend, substantially as and for the purpose. set forth.

4. A flexible power transmitting Yelement comprising opposing Sections, each compristions of the slet-we.'extensions,r said plugs' being inserted in the ends ot the springs and ball and socket members enclosed byl the spring and having sh'anlrs fitted inthe bores of said plugs, substantially as and for the purpose'described. A

5. A flexible power transmitting velement ,comprising opposing sections, each comprising a head formed with an annular fla-nge or sleeve extensionV on its side opposed to the other section, an fannularvplug located within and spaced apart from the vflange, a coiled torsion spring having its end coils held between the .peripheries of the plugs and the inner faces ot the inner end portions of the sleeve extensions, said plugs being inserted in the ends of the springs and ball and socket members enclosed by the spring and having Shanks fitted in the bores of said plugs, and heads thrusting against vthe opposing ends of the lugs, substantially as and for the purpose speoied.

6. A flexible power transmitting element comprising opposing sections, each having an internal hub, a coiled torsion spring having its end coils secured to the sections and encircling the hub, said hub having axial bores, and ball and sooketjoi-nts inclu ding members arranged coaxially with the hubs between the same and having shanks fitting the bores of the hubs, Asubstantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Phoenix, in the county of Oswego, and State of New Yorlgthis 19th day of April, 1920.

MAXWELL ROY KARGE. 

